In Focus

ANC should have known removing Zuma would be complicated – Analyst

The African National Congress (ANC) should have known that removing Jacob Zuma would be complicated, says Political Analysis South Africa’s Monwabisi Gebhuza.

Speaking to Radio Islam on 5 February, Gebhuza said he believes that the party will now have to resort to “legalistic or constitutional means to remove him [Jacob Zuma] from office.”

Gebhuza says the ANC will not be successful in persuading Zuma to step down, and says “there are only two options left – a vote of no confidence, or impeachment.” Both possibilities, which Gebhuza argues, will be difficult to execute given Zuma’s defiance, as well as potential blowback from those in the party who still support him.

It is for these reasons that Gebhuza believes that South Africa “is stuck with uMsholozi for now.”

Asked about the likelihood of Zuma not delivering the State of the Nation Address but remaining as President, and delegating the SONA to his deputy, Cyril Ramphosa, Gebhuza opined that such a move would be unwise on Zuma’s part. “Politically it would be same as if he has resigned, because by not delivering the speech, he would have effectively acquiesced to demands by opposition parties, and those who oppose him in the ANC.”

Gebhuza says he finds the whole ANC and Zuma debacle interesting, especially for a party that has just come from its elective conference, “to already be displaying splinters so soon after an elective conference, whose mantra was unity above all else.”

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